ANDY MAYOR (City of Newcastle) added to his top-flight experience by making finals at the International Swim Meet in Monte Carlo.

Swimming for Scotland, Mayor reached the final of the 200m butterfly in 2-02.42 and then finished just outside the medals in 2-00.98.

He said: “I was annoyed at missing out on a medal.

“I know I improved nearly two seconds from my heat time, but I wanted the medal.”

In the 100m butterfly, which had a very strong field, Mayor did well in the heats to move from 18th to 13th position with 55.12, which gave him a place in the “B” final.

In this race he again moved up to finish second in 54.78.

He added: “I went for more international experience and overall I am pleased with making finals and going faster each time.”

Mayor is now preparing for the Scottish Commonwealth Games Trials, starting in Glasgow on the June 22.

:: CITY of Sunderland had a strong meet at the first of the North East Region Age Group Championships in Sheffield.

Leading the way with three gold medals was 13-year-old Adam Taylor, who won his first in the 1500m freestyle with 17-41.67.

He also won the 200m freestyle in 2-06.22 as well as the 100m backstroke in 1-03.18.

Sunderland’s 10-year-old Jodi Bunker triumphed in the 400m individual medley in 6-01.73 and then the 200m butterfly in 2-56.19, with Newburn’s Lauren Hodgson second.

Hodgson also took two gold medals. She won her first in the 100m backstroke in 1-20.83 ahead of silver medallist Jessica Hardingham (City of Newcastle) and bronze medallist Alice Smith (Tynemouth).

The Newburn girl’s second gold medal came in the 200m freestyle with 2-32.17.

Another Newburn swimmer won two gold medals with Joseph Burrin taking the 11 years 100m breaststroke in 1-21.63 ahead of Gateshead’s Andrew Blackett. Burrin also won the 200m freestyle in 2-17.85 and then took silver in the 100m backstroke in 1-13.99.

In the 14 years’ section Adam Hollows (Chester-le-Street) took a brace of golds , claiming the 100m backstroke in 1-04.07 and the 200m freestyle in 2-02.38 ahead of another team-mate Bradley Dobson.

It was a successful meet for the Chester-le-Street boys. who combined with Matthew Kell and James Morgan to win the 11-12 years’ 400m freestyle team ahead of second-placed City of Newcastle’s Zak Dawson, Tom Howley, Alasdair Wright and Joshua Hobbs.

The same two quartets took silver and bronze respectively in the 800m freestyle team race, which should take both of them through to next month’s National Championships.

Zak Dawson was on the winners’ rostrum in the 14 years’ 400m individual medley with 4-58.08.

He also took silver in the 200m butterfly with 2-19.22 with clubmate Joshua Hobbs taking the bronze.

Another silver went to Dawson in the 100m breaststroke with 1-17.13 and bronze in the 100m backstroke.